Away from the WC didn't we set up two partnerships, one with Sarries and the other with NZW? If so have we seen any players come from either club?

How is this partnership actually benefitting the Wigan club? I had a small expectation of trades between the clubs squads, so far I've seen nothing other than both Tomkins brothers leave Wigan.

Those partnerships look to have been swept under the carpet don't they.

I have no issue with that because I didn't see them benefitting us anyway.

I wouldn't mind seeing a few of the Junior Warriors come over here for a year or two if NZW feel they aren't ready for the NRL yet. Yes we have youngsters coming through ourselves but not in every position.

on face value it all seems a bit of a failed exercise, unlike IL who usually has the business side totally worked out. I could be wrong, there maybe developments behind the scenes, but as far as i'm aware the Sarries deal was made in 2011, two years and not even a single player coming our way.

Rumour has it that Mike Scrivens has gone to Leigh. Not sure if it's a loan/DR or permanent.

oh but Saracens visited our training facilities once I believe.

Well worth it...

It's not just Wigan. Partnerships seem to get mentioned quite often between UK and NRL clubs but you very rarely here of anything coming of them in terms of player exchanges. With our U19 rules it's crazy to bring young players over as they would be like Gelling. No where to play except the 1st team unless they [iwere[/i U19 and why would we want such junior players here?

The partnership annoucements seem to be little more than PR similar to the "Wigan will have first refusal if they return" spin that is put out to soften the blow of players leaving.

I have never had anyone explain to me what benefit a club like NZW would get by sending us a player we could make use of who would actually improve our 1st team and I am also not sure why we'd want to train their juniors even if they thought sending them here was going to beneficial to them.

The most benefit I could see that has a chance of happening is if coaches from Wigan went there (such as Harris) for a stint but I am not aware of that sort of thing happening either. I think Long went to an NRL club for a short time (not NZW IIRC) before leaving us but nothing major seems to have happened.

To me any exchange would help to "mature" the player in question from Wigan or NZW. For a 16/17 ear old to be sent across the globe mean that they have to grow up and essentially go from being a teenager to a man.

I imagine BARLA tours and Eng/GB academy tours will have a positive effect on youngsters being away from home. This is a pretty similar setup to an exchange in some regards

There is also an opportunity to diversify the club culture that they are exposed to and training methods.

I would imagine that there are aspects of training that Wigan excel at and that NZW excel at. Cant harm to have young lads involved in both.

I agree that this is mostly PR spin however.

Is any of this fact or just your opinion?

I think this is a good point and will give us a bit extra to think about during the world cup. Of course many of the decent players in these teams are already playing in the NRL!!

By the way does anyone know if it is true that Eddy Pettybourne was in the Samoa train on squad but didn't make the cut? If true, I'm not sure what that says about him?

I believe Pettybourne has been injured for a while so maybe that's the reason.

Hope you're right. Firstly it would have been good to see him in the world cup and secondly if he isn't good enough to get in the squad...